Step-by-Step Teaching

Featured Author:

Pat Hensley

Pat Hensley retired after 27 years of teaching in the classroom. She currently teaches graduate courses as an adjunct instructor for Furman University. She was chosen 2006 Teacher of the Year for her school and a district Top 10 Finalist (out of 5000 teachers). She is Nationally Board Certified as an Exceptional Needs Specialist and is on the National Board of Directors for the Council for Exceptional Children. Pat comments on education and her experiences at Successful Teaching.

More articles from this author:

When I teach my procedures course to teachers, I really try to stress the importance of task analysis. I think over the years, we learn things ourselves by breaking things down into steps automatically. We have learned this behavior an tend to forget that our students have not reached the same point in life as we have.

I believe that every new skill can be broken down into steps. We follow a certain procedure no matter what we do. Everything has its own recipe.

When I am teaching a new skill, I write these steps down and post them in the classroom. Before I post them, I actually get someone else to review them. Sometimes I leave out a step because my actions are automatic again. If I can’t find someone else to review them, I sit down and follow each step listed exactly as it is written. It is amazing what I miss or don’t explain clearly when I do this.

When I am teaching I explain each step. Then I actually model how I follow each step to complete the assignment. Then I will get an example that we all can do together following each step. Finally I let them do it on their own. When they have a problem, I have them explain to me what they did following each step. Usually their problem comes from missing a step. When they can see what they did wrong, it is easier for them to get it right the next time.

If I write these steps on some kind of poster paper, I can put them up around the room. The students like to refer back to these when they need to. As the year progresses, and we need room, the early procedures are usually ingrained and can be removed.

Sometimes I like to get a student who is more ahead of the others and may already know how to do a certain skill. I will ask that student to come up with the steps. After reviewing and editing the steps with the students, I may even let the student be the “teacher” for that skill. Many of my students enjoy learning from a peer. At the time, that peer-teacher may be able to explain something easier to the others than I could because that person is seeing this from a different perspective.

By breaking things down into steps, I am helping my students be successful. As long as they follow the steps necessary, they should reach the natural outcome. With practice, these steps become automatic and they don’t even have to think about it anymore. These new skills become the steps to other new skills and all these skills together will lead to success.